The Laughing Planet: Topaz's Story
by Ziska Ames
Summary: Jendra's life has changed in unimaginable ways. Now her new life is threatened and she and her friends must figure out by who. The second story in The Laughing Planet Saga.
1. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
This is what I refer to as a 'sugar chapter.' Basically, I was hyper   
when I wrote this, so it's a little... weird... Anywho, hope you enjoy!  
This happens pretty directly after Jendra's Story.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Topaz pulled the old yellow station wagon wannabe into a parking   
spot close to the entrance of South High School. She had made sure they   
had arrived half-an-hour early. "You need to get your schedule. We all   
got ours last year at the end of school." Topaz said as she unbuckled   
her seatbelt. She reached behind her for her backpack and grabbed hers   
and Jendra's. "Here."  
  
"Thanks." Jendra said. She stepped out and walked down the new   
concrete path looking at the pretty trees that led the way. She stopped   
short of the entrance and looked up. A huge glass atrium towered above   
her. She gaped at the size. "It's huge!" She exclaimed.  
  
Topaz giggled. "Yeah. They built it my freshman year. I think it   
makes the school look like a mall. To think, we have this, but no stools   
in the lab rooms. That seems wrong." Topaz grabbed Jendra's hand and   
pulled her inside. "There's everyone else! Come on."  
  
The inside was just as amazing and mall-y as the outside. Large,   
marble pillars held up the beams and sunlight poured through the windows.   
A massive set of stairs led up to the second and third floors on Jendra's   
right. To her left was the cafeteria. She personally found it rather   
childish. The walls were white, but the beams around the perimeter were   
painted in bold colors of orange, red, blue, yellow, and purple.   
  
There was no one else in the atrium but their group. Topaz gave   
Jonquil a quick kiss on the cheek and he snaked his arm around her back.   
Jendra walked up to Noki and hugged him. He'd been away for the week   
preceding school and this was the first time she had seen him. "I missed   
you." She said softly into his shoulder.  
  
"I missed you, too." He replied gently. He kissed her temple and   
ignored the gagging sounds coming from Lapis and Vanax.   
  
"Soul mates can make you sick. It's dangerous for your health."   
Lapis stated in a mock serious voice with her arms crossed over her chest.   
Topaz slapped her lightly on the shoulder and stuck her tongue out.  
  
"You're just jealous." She said with a grin.   
  
"I need to go get my schedule." Jendra said looking up at Noki's   
face. "Come with me?" her voice took on that pleading sound that all   
girls could do and no guy could resist.  
  
He nodded instantly and they headed up the stairs to the office   
on the second floor.   
  
"I've forgotten all my classes." Jade said pulling her schedule   
from her binder. Topaz gaped.   
  
"Where did you get that?" She yelped. It was the funniest thing   
she'd ever seen. The binder was a brilliant pink and covered in imitation   
shag carpet.  
  
"What?" Jade asked. She looked down and said in an 'Austin Powers   
voice', "What, the shag binder, baby? Yeah!" she rubbed the binder with   
her hand as she spoke.  
  
Topaz and Lapis burst out laughing. Vanax and Jonquil just looked   
at each other and shrugged.  
  
"Only you, Jade. Only you." Topaz managed to gasp between breaths.   
By the time they all calmed down Noki and Jendra were back.  
  
"Let's compare schedules." Lapis said. Everyone held out their   
schedules to see who had classes with who. Since South was a small school,   
only about four hundred students in all, everyone had a lot of classes   
together.  
  
Lapis, Topaz, Vanax, and Jendra were all starting their junior   
years. Noki, Jade, and Jonquil were all seniors.  
  
All the juniors had U.S. History together first period, while   
the seniors had Historical Applications. Jade and Topaz were in the same   
physics class second period, while the rest of the group was scattered   
about. For third everyone had different classes. Fourth was varied,   
except for Lapis, Vanax, and Jendra all had English 5-6. And for fifth   
period, everyone was in Jazz Band.  
  
"Well, we all have lunch together. That's not bad. Remember last   
year? I didn't have any classes with anybody!" Lapis cried.  
  
  
  
Soon it was lunchtime.   
  
"Food!" Lapis yelled. Being a witch, she needed the substance.   
Jade was quickly behind her in line while everyone else went to find a   
table. They quickly snagged a huge eight-seater. Topaz pushed the extra   
purple colored chair to another table and plopped down next to Jonquil   
in her own plastic chair.   
  
"I can't believe I have homework. It's the first day! Stupid   
Sellers. I hate him. I've only known him an hour and I still hate him."   
Jendra growled as she started her science homework. "Well, I suppose   
this is the good thing about not needing to eat, hmm?" She asked the   
two vampires and two shifters sitting at the table with her.  
  
"Whatever. I'm bored. You should be glad you have something to   
do." Vanax yawned as he tried to balance a pencil on his fingertip.   
  
"Ick. Wood. Mechanical pencils are my best friends." Topaz pulled   
her pink mechanical pencil from her pocket and gazed at it with adoration.  
  
"Isn't that mine?" Jade asked as she sat down next to Topaz. She   
swiped the pencil.  
  
"Hey! Give that back! I don't have any more." Topaz reached for   
the pencil.  
  
"You don't need it. You carry fifty pens." Jade said as she   
stuck the pencil in her pocket.  
  
"I do not. I only have... hold on." Topaz pulled out a pencil   
bag from her backpack and dumped it out on the table. She started   
counting. "One, two, three..."  
  
"Ohh... I'm so glad they have chicken nuggets today." Lapis said   
as she plopped down in the last seat between Vanax and Jendra. She   
eagerly started to devour her lunch.   
  
"Four, five, six..."  
  
Noki leaned over Jendra's homework, ignoring her outraged yell,   
and grabbed one of Lapis' nuggets.  
  
"Hey! Give it back." Lapis cried out reaching for the tasty   
morsel, but it was too late.  
  
"No." he said simply as he put it in his mouth and chewed. "Dead   
meat. Been dead for days. How can you eat that everyday?" he said with a   
disgusted face.  
  
"I ask the same question." Jade said as she ate her salad. "Meat's   
gross."  
  
"That's not what I meant." Noki said with a light glare in Jade's   
direction.   
  
"I know." Jade said smiling back at him charmingly.  
  
"Seven, eight, nine..."  
  
"I need something to drink. Be right back." Jendra stood up   
leaving her homework half done to get a small, overpriced bottle of   
water.   
  
"Ten, eleven, twelve..."  
  
"I can't wait till last period. Dubie's such a cool teacher.   
You'll love band, Jay." Lapis said as Jendra came back clutching her   
purchase. There was no more water, she'd been forced to buy Sprite.  
  
"I hope so, Kelli. I don't know how good I am though. I haven't   
played trumpet in years." Jendra said.   
  
"Where did you learn to play trumpet?" Vanax asked. Curiosity   
lit up his face.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat." Jendra said as she picked up her   
pencil from on top of her binder and tapped Vanax on the nose with it.  
  
"But I'm not a cat." Vanax said.  
  
"Um hmm..." Jendra said with a raised eyebrow. She couldn't blurt   
out his shift, they were in a public place, but she could sure insinuate.  
  
Vanax narrowed his eyes, and crossing his arms on his chest and   
sinking into his chair, began to pout. Jendra laughed out loud.  
  
"Okay, okay. I learned it at the orphanage. The guy who funded   
the place loved music and we'd play for him when he came and inspected   
the place. So I had to learn to play something, and the nuns picked   
trumpet." Her smile had died about half way through her little speech as   
she was swept up in memories. Vanax frowned and leaned over Lapis to   
place a hand on Jendra's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to have to remember the   
orphanage or anything."  
  
"I know." Jendra brightened up and smiled gratefully at Vanax.   
"It's okay. Really." Vanax smiled and sat back down from his half standing   
position.  
  
"Thirteen. Ha! I only have thirteen." Topaz said triumphantly   
waving her green pen in front of Jade's startled face.  
  
"Thirteen is a bad luck number. I'll help rid you of it by   
taking this." Jade said recovering from her surprise. She grabbed the   
pen and stuck it in her pocket with her pencil.  
  
"No! That's my favorite one! Give it back! I'll give you the   
gold one!" Topaz dived for Jade's pocket.  
  
"Eep! Okay, just get off me!" Jade jumped up away from Topaz and   
threw the pen at her.   
  
"Yay! What?" Topaz asked Jonquil. He was laughing really hard.  
  
"Nothing, nothing." He gasped.  
  
Topaz glared at him as she put her thirteen bad luck pens away.   
"Oh shut up." she mumbled.  
  
"Hey, guys." A voice said from behind Topaz.  
  
"Allison!" Topaz jumped out of her seat to give the girl a hug.   
Her red curly hair was severely pulled back and her eyes smiled at the   
group.   
  
"Oh, Allison. This is Jay. She moved here during the summer. Jay,   
this is Allison. The local violin protegee." Topaz said. Allison blushed.  
  
"I am not, Kory. Hello, Jay, nice to meet you. Kory, I just   
wanted to tell you that I saw Leah hanging out at your locker. I thought   
you might want to know."  
  
"Thanks, Allison. See you later." Topaz grabbed her stuff as she   
stood up. "I have to go to my locker anyway. I'll see you guys in band."   
  
  
  
There was nothing wrong with her locker that Topaz could see.   
Leah was probably just trying to look cool. What a weirdo. She thought   
as she twirled the combination lock on the bright blue locker. She opened   
it and frowned at the folded piece of paper staring up at her from its   
position on her stacked books at the bottom of her locker. She dropped   
her math books in her locker and grabbed the paper. She opened it and   
almost screamed after reading the first line. Her horror grew as she   
read on.   
  
"Oh god. Oh no."  
  
She turned and ran back to the lunchroom.  
  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
I'm bored and my ANs are usually short and boring too. This time,   
I'm gonna write my ANs as we go here, so it'll be a bit detached, but   
it'll give a ton of background info on the story and how bits of it came   
to be. Maybe it will be interesting?? Let me know if you like this type   
of thing. You might have to go back and reread a part to understand the  
comment.  
  
You know that car I meantion in the first paragraph?? That's my   
car...scary, no?  
  
My school looks like this one too... the atrium, the cafeteria,   
everything. Again, scary... And I still say the school looks like a mall!  
  
We don't have stools and some of the labs don't even have running   
water.  
  
Yeah, guys watch out! All us girls can do that pleading thing   
Jendra does to Noki!  
  
My friend who is named Chris and who Jade is modeled after does  
have a shag binder... I swear!! It's the coolest thing ever.  
  
I had Jazz Band last period, and me who Topaz is based after   
and Chris had physics together second... BORING CLASS!  
  
Poor Kelli you guessed it! My real friend who modeled for Lapis  
didn't have classes with any of us this year... how sad! But we did have  
lunch together!  
  
Everyone tells me Sellers is an evil teacher. In case you haven't  
figured it out, a ton of my chars are based on real people. Fun!  
  
I'm always stealing pencils from Chris... and I used to carry   
tons of pens, but I got over that.  
  
The school's chicken nuggets are awesome! Along with the mashed  
potatoes. Oh yeah...  
  
I'm always trying to get Chris to eat the nuggets. She refuses.  
  
Dubie is the all time coolest teacher! His name is Mr. Dubinski,   
but everyone calls him Dubie. He's Allison's dad! That's completely   
irrelevant though.  
  
Allison is awesome on the violin!  
  
I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!! I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!!! Sorry...  
  
  
Well, that's it! It was fun writing those! If you liked, tell me and I'll  
do more. I might just do more anyway!  
  
  
JA!  
Ziska Ames 


	2. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
This is where the saga gets more Night Worldish. I have bad stuff   
happen.   
  
*sniff*  
  
Big thanks to everyone who's reviewed this fic!!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"We have to leave. Now. Go to my apartment." Topaz said when   
she got to the table. Everyone was getting ready to go and looked at   
her like she was crazy, till they saw her face. She was ashen and looked   
like she was going to be sick. They all nodded and started drifting   
discreetly to the parking lot in twos and threes.  
  
"Maybe I should drive." Jendra said when she and Topaz reached   
the old beat up station wagon. Topaz climbed into the passenger's side   
with a nod as her only response.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jendra asked as they left the school behind.  
  
"I'll tell everyone when we're at the apartment." she said as   
she stared at the slightly crumpled piece of paper in her hand.   
  
Jendra just nodded and headed out onto Walnut Street.  
  
  
  
They were again seated in a circle. Topaz was snuggled into   
the crook of Jonquil's arm on one of the absurdly ugly couches. Jendra   
was sitting next to Noki on another. Lapis and Vanax were sitting on   
the third couch. Jade was sprawled on the floor completing the circle.  
  
"Spill." Jade said once everyone was seated.  
  
"I got a note. It's... bad. To say the least."  
  
"Do you want one of us to read it?" Jonquil asked softly.  
  
"No, I will." Topaz pulled the note out and unfolded it slowly.   
She smoothed it out before clearing her throat.   
  
" 'Topaz,' " she stopped and looked up. Everyone's face had a   
different measure of shock displayed. They certainly hadn't expected   
this note writer to know Topaz's real name. Lapis curled up in the corner   
of the couch and held a pillow to her chest.  
  
" 'I know all about you and your little group of friends. I know   
about the night world and that you are a vampire. I know all your real   
names. And I know about the illegals. For your crimes against my family   
and me and for the safety of this town, I'm going to kill you.' It's   
signed 'Jaecar.' "   
  
"That means 'Hunter' in German." Lapis said softly as she   
clutched her yellow throw pillow tighter. "We're being hunted."  
  
"What do you mean 'hunted?' And what are illegals?" Jendra asked   
after a moment. Confusion was evident on her face.  
  
"You are. You, Vanax, and Jonquil are illegals. You aren't   
registered with the night world and we didn't have permission to make   
you. You're illegal. Basically, it's breaking a law and the punishment   
is death." Topaz said softly with very little expression.  
  
"Death... for who?" Jendra squeaked.  
  
"Everyone involved. All of us here." Topaz said quietly as she   
slowly folded the note and gently placed it on the rosewood side table   
to her left.  
  
(((HELP!!!!!))) Topaz grabbed her head and fell to the ground.   
Jonquil and Jendra also slapped their hands over their ears. The telepathic   
scream was horrible.   
  
"Oh god. Abrams. They got Abrams." Topaz gasped. She stumbled   
up from the dusky gray carpet and ran to the door heading for The Laughing   
Planet.  
  
  
  
(((Hold on. We're coming. Just HOLD ON!!!))) Topaz drove frantically   
wrenching the wheel when she came to a turn. Jendra and Noki clutched   
the door handles in the back while Lapis used her legs to brace herself   
in the front seat. Jonquil was following closely in his Oldsmobile with   
Vanax and Jade.  
  
(((I can't...))) Abrams' voice was fading to nothing as Topaz   
slammed the brakes on in front of the Laughing Planet.  
  
She jumped out of the car and half stumbled, half ran up the concrete   
steps to the blue restaurant doors. She ripped them open and stopped on   
the threshold.   
  
It was terrible.  
  
Blood covered the walls and tables. It was obvious that there   
had been a fight. There were no bodies, though, so Topaz assumed they   
had been carried away. Her mind calculated the scene coldly, like the   
hunter she was, as her heart screamed for her to go to Abrams' side.   
  
She looked around franticly searching for him. When she saw him,   
she half wished she hadn't. He was pinned against the wall with a huge   
stake through his stomach. And a silver sword imbedded in each arm. Topaz   
ran to him and pulled out the protruding implements. She barely caught   
him as he slipped.   
  
She laid him down gently on the now red floor. "Was it Leah? I'll   
kill her." She said fiercely as he gasped for breath.  
  
"It... wasn't... Leah. I didn't... know the... girl. She said...   
to tell you..." He started coughing franticly. His light brown bangs flopped   
slightly in front of his eyes as he weakly coughed up even more blood.  
  
"It's okay. Calm down. What did she say?" Topaz urged.  
  
"She said... that... she's going... after Zak... next..." He slowly   
slipped away as Topaz sobbed. Jonquil put his hand on her shoulder; silent   
tears were running down his cheeks. Topaz stood up slowly allowing Abrams'   
hand to drop lifelessly to his side. She turned around slowly to see the   
rest of the group huddled together crying.   
  
"We have to get him out of here before we call the police. They   
can't see his body." She gestured to the mummified corpse. It had shrunk   
and grown leathery and yellow. Jonquil squatted down and scooped the body   
into his arms. They left the Planet after Jade placed an anonymous call   
to the police.   
  
  
  
They took the body to the cemetery and buried it quickly in a   
small groove of ash trees.   
  
As they were walking away Topaz was deep in thought. " 'She's   
after Zak next.' But that's stupid. He's in New York. Is she gonna go   
all the way to New York to kill my brother?" her brow furrowed. "Well,   
I guess he's safe. That's good." Topaz smiled slightly, relieved by this   
train of thought.  
  
They reached the cars and Jade drove Topaz's while Lapis went   
with Jonquil. Topaz unlocked the door and entered the apartment slowly,   
dropping her keys on the hallway desk. She looked up to see a young man   
with longish blond hair sitting on the couch reading a magazine.  
  
"Zak!" She shrieked. "Oh no... oh no." She collapsed into a ball   
on the floor. Zak threw his magazine down and ran to her.  
  
"Topaz? Are you okay? What happened?" He looked up at the rest   
of the group confused.  
  
"A hunter got Abrams." Lapis said. She knew Zak already, as did   
Jade.   
  
"What?!" Zak shot up. He had Topaz gently cradled in his arms.   
She sobbed into his shirt as he put her on the couch. "What happened?"   
he asked no one in particular.   
  
Lapis handed him the note that was sitting on the table. He read   
it, reread it and then put it down slowly. "So, 'Jaecar' killed Abrams.   
Why? He's not a renegade."  
  
"But he helped us. And we are illegals." Jonquil said as he sat   
down. Zak looked around noticing the new people in his sister's group.  
  
"Hi. I'm Jendra, made vamp."   
  
"Vanax. Made shifter."  
  
"Jonquil. Made vamp."  
  
"Noki. Shifter."  
  
"Hi, Zak." Jade and Lapis said together. Zak nodded at them all.  
  
"Zak. Lamia. So why did she flip when she saw me?" he stroked   
her hair softly. She pushed away from him wiping the tears from her eyes.  
  
"Abrams said 'Jaecar' is going after you next. But I thought you   
were in New York, safe. Why aren't you in New York?!" She screamed the   
last and looked at him furiously.  
  
"I came back for a visit. I haven't been home in three years."   
he said softly as he stroked Topaz's hair. She sighed and hugged him   
properly.  
  
"I'm glad you're here, Zak. But you have to leave. This Jaecar   
got *Abrams*. He's good, Zak, you know that. He's outwitted Hunter! If   
Jaecar can get him, she can probably kill most night worlders. She could   
get you! I don't want you to die." she gripped his blue flannel shirt   
desperately as she practically pleaded with him. He gently released her   
hands and smiled at her gently.  
  
"I'm not gonna die. I'm staying at Mom and Dad's. No one gets   
past them. You know that." Zak said with a reassuring smile.  
  
"Yeah. I guess you're right." Topaz smiled, still a little worried.  
  
Three Days Later  
  
The doorbell sang a merry song in Topaz and Jendra's apartment.   
Jendra was at the store, so Topaz pulled herself off the couch, leaving   
behind her bag of Fritos, and opened the door. Then, she screamed.  
  
Zak, or at least what used to be Zak, lay stretched length-wise   
in front of the door. His hands were bound behind his back with twine   
and there was a stake in his heart. His hair flopped in front of his   
face, and when she pushed it back gently, his eyes were wide and staring.   
Topaz fell to her knees next to his lifeless body and sobbed.   
  
Jendra found her half and hour later clutching Zak's head to her   
chest. Topaz looked up at Jendra.  
  
"He's dead. Jaecar got him too. She got my brother." She continued   
to mumble to herself as she gently stroked his limp hair and ran her   
hands over his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to close them. Jendra kneeled   
down and gently pulled Topaz's hands from his head. She noticed a piece   
of paper pinned between the stake and Zak's clothes. She pulled it off   
and read two words as she helped Topaz stand up.  
  
" 'Next, Todd.' " Jendra said. She looked at Topaz and slowly   
turned her around and half carried her into the apartment. "Come inside."   
She left the door open as she called Jonquil. He showed up and took Zak's   
body to the cemetery while everyone else was filtering in. When Jonquil   
was back after placing Zak next to Abrams, Jendra told everyone about the   
note.  
  
"Does anyone know a Todd?" She asked.  
  
Lapis shrieked, jumped up and ran out of the apartment. Jade slowly   
turned to Jendra and said, "Todd is one of Lapis' brothers."  
  
  
  
Jendra, Noki, and Vanax went after Lapis. Jonquil and Jade stayed   
to watch after Topaz who was still crying.  
  
By the time they got there it was too late. Lapis was hunched   
over her brother's body, crying hard. He had been a witch like her. Jaecar   
had killed him using an iron poker from the fireplace. There was another   
note.   
  
  
  
Over the next week Jaecar struck three more times. She killed   
Lapis' other brother, Jade's sister and Noki's older brother. Soon, there   
were no more siblings left to die.   
  
"So who's next? There was no note with Noki's brother. Is she   
gonna start killing us? Or our parents?" Jade asked perplexed, tired, and   
annoyed. Nobody had gotten much sleep and now, Jaecar had broken her   
pattern. There was no note with the last body and no sign that she had   
been there. Noki's brother had been killed by 'falling' on to a wooden   
chair and shattering it. A piece of wood 'happened' to get lodged in his   
body.  
  
There was a knock on the door. Everyone stared at it for a moment.   
Every time someone knocked on the door in the past week there had been   
a body outside. Topaz moved slowly as the person knocked again. She gripped   
the handle and opened the door to reveal the mailman. He was holding a   
large box. After signing for the package, Topaz put it on the table. There   
was no return address and she was afraid to remove the plain hemp string   
and open it.  
  
Eventually Jonquil leaned over and untied the string. Taking a   
deep breath he opened the package. It looked empty. He shifted through   
the Styrofoam and came up with a long, golden lock of hair. He handed   
it to Lapis. Her specialty was seeing things in objects or fire. She clutched   
the hair tightly. Her mouth opened and her eyes closed. Her face became   
expressionless as she spoke in a voice that wasn't hers. That seemed to   
come from far away. It was clear and low pitched, but obviously feminine,   
as it filled the silent room with sound.  
  
"I see a young woman our age. Her hair is long and gold. It falls   
to her waist. Her eyes sparkle brightly. She smiles and I see her teeth.   
She is a vampire. She speaks to me. 'Help me.' She says. She is sad now.   
And scared. She's begging me to send help, to send her cousin, Topaz."  
  
Lapis slowly let her eyes flutter open and placed the hair on   
the table. Topaz slowly picked up the hair. "This is Thora's hair. I'm   
sure of it. Do you think Jaecar has her marked as the next victim? Is   
she going after my cousin now?!"   
  
Topaz was outraged. She wanted to lash out, to kill. "I'm going   
to find this Jaecar person, and I'm going to kill her. But first, we   
have to go to Thora. She may need help." Everyone nodded.  
  
"We'll go with you." Vanax spoke for everyone. "We can go in the   
morning. Right now, I think sleep is a good idea."   
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Unfortunately, it is not that easy to sneak off campus.  
  
As far as I know, Lapis can't speak German, but someone had  
to translate!  
  
Abrams is right up there with Dubie for coolest teacher. He   
doesn't really manage The Laughing Planet, all though that is a real   
resturant. Awesome place. Not sure why it is the name of this saga.  
  
I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!!! I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!!!  
  
It was so hard to kill Abrams. But it was necessary. *sigh*  
  
Yeah, I have a brother named Zak. No, I don't wish he was dead.  
Yes, he does live in New York. He's gonna be a chef! He's just Zak   
cause I couldn't think of a Night World name for him.   
  
Of course, we all believe that nothing can defeat our parents!  
  
Yep, Kelli has a brother named Todd! And Chris has a sis named  
Nicole! Oh, Noki is made up along with his brother. Jendra's made up,  
too, but she didn't have any sibs anywho.  
  
Yep, Thora's based on a friend too. But she isn't my cousin.  
  
Well, that's it for now! 'Member to e-mail and tell me if you   
like this kind of AN.  
  
JA!  
Ziska Ames 


	3. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Everyone agreed that the best course of action would be to spend   
the night at Topaz and Jendra's apartment. Everyone had gone home to get   
clothes and Jendra was in her room. Topaz was pulling the couches out into   
beds for the boys when she heard a scrapping sound. She lifted her head   
and closed her eyes to concentrate. The scratching grew louder for a moment   
then died down. Topaz turned slowly to stare at the door. Her eyes focused   
on movement down near the bottom.  
  
A small white paper was being pushed through the small crack   
between the door and the floor. Quietly Topaz strode to the door and flung   
it open. The person kneeling on the other side looked up surprised.  
  
"What do you think you are doing, Leah?" Topaz addressed the girl   
with a stony voice. Leah Johnson stood up pushing her long brown hair away   
from her pinched looking face. She tilted her nose into the air, looking   
down on Topaz as if she were something disgusting.  
  
"None of your business, Kordia." She drawled the name as if it   
were a horrible insult. Topaz glared at her and kept eye contact with Leah   
as she knelt down to retrieve the piece of paper. She opened it, glanced   
down, and then crumpled it in her hand. She let it fall to the floor.  
  
"You know, being friends with killers is a bad hobby," she said   
slowly. Leah sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"You just watch yourself, girl. You and your group think you're   
all so perfect. Well you aren't. 'Jaecar's gonna get you,' " she taunted   
quoting the note.   
  
"She'll try. But she won't win. She can kill my family and friends,   
but she can't kill my spirit. You should leave now, before I get really   
mad," Topaz growled slowly. Leah smirked and turning, flounced down the   
hallway.  
  
Topaz shut the door hard and stormed into Jendra's room. Jendra   
looked up from packing a small bag.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Leah was here," Topaz said slowly. "She left this." She handed   
Jendra the note she had grabbed off the floor after Leah left.  
  
" 'Jaecar's gonna get you.' Not incredibly articulate, is she?"   
Jendra asked. She looked up at Topaz with a wiry smile. "It's okay, Topaz.   
This isn't anything new. We know Jaecar's out for blood. She's proved that,"   
Jendra swallowed and shut her eyes for a moment in memory.  
  
"I know. It's just... I never liked Leah, but she doesn't deserve   
to be caught in this. What if she gets killed?" Topaz asked sitting on   
the bed.  
  
"Then it'll be her own fault. You can't do anything about it,   
Topaz. I'm sorry." Jendra placed a hand on Topaz's shoulder. "It'll be   
okay. Don't worry."  
  
Topaz nodded and went back to pulling the couches out.  
  
  
  
Topaz had decided it was pointless to show the note around and   
thrown it away. Now everyone was in their respective sleeping areas, but   
not many people were asleep.  
  
Topaz rolled over and poked Lapis in the shoulder. "You awake?"  
  
"Yes." Lapis said softly, shifting in the bed.   
  
"Are you worried? What if we don't find this Jaecar? What if she   
kills Thora?"   
  
"Don't worry, Topaz." Lapis said sitting up. She hugged her knees   
to her chest. "We'll save Thora. She'll be fine. And we will find Jaecar.   
And she'll pay for what she's done. I promise."  
  
"Thank you, Lapis." Topaz said. She closed her eyes and peacefully   
fell asleep.  
  
  
  
Jade lay next to a sleeping Jendra. She was snoring softly. Jade   
smiled gently.   
  
She leaned over and grabbed a brush off the side table. Sitting   
up she slowly started brushing out her hair.   
  
I hope Thora isn't dead already. That would crush Topaz. I wonder   
why Jaecar so mad at her and her family... they've never done anything to   
anyone. Jade separated her hair into three bits and began to braid it.  
  
Who is Jaecar? All we know is she's a girl, she knows the night   
world, and she's merciless. She's killed six people this past week.   
Including my sister. Jade swallowed hard and forced back tears. She missed   
her sister. Jaecar was going to pay.  
  
  
  
Vanax stretched lazily on the pad he was sleeping on. He and   
Jonquil had opted for the floor, leaving the pull out bed for Noki. Vanax   
rolled over on his stomach and tried to fall asleep. He looked up at the   
clock on the wall. His sharp eyes read the time.   
  
1:40?! That's it? I'm never going to fall asleep. He flopped   
his head back down on the pillow and sighed loudly.  
  
"What time is it now?" A voice asked from the darkness.  
  
"1:40," Vanax replied rolling over. Jonquil couldn't see the clock   
from where he was and had periodically been asking Vanax for the time.  
  
"Is Noki still asleep?"  
  
"Yeah. That's so unfair. How can he just drop off like that?" Vanax   
sat up. He was irritated. He looked at Noki sprawled out on the bed and   
sighed again.  
  
"Oh, forget it. I'm gonna go outside for a while. Maybe the rest   
of the night." Vanax stood up and walked out onto the balcony.  
  
  
  
Jade smiled at Vanax. He had fallen asleep in one of the lawn   
chairs. She shook him gently. When he opened his eyes, he blinked at her   
slowly.   
  
"Have some coffee," Jade said presenting him with a steaming cup.   
  
"Thanks," he said accepting the drink. He rubbed the sleep from   
his eyes and sipped at the coffee.  
  
"You couldn't sleep either?" Jade asked sitting in the other lawn   
chair.  
  
"Nope. I thought some fresh air would help. I guess it did." Vanax   
smiled ruefully as he placed the half-empty mug on the table between the   
two chairs. "When are we leaving?"   
  
"Topaz wants to leave within the hour. She's worried about Thora."   
Jade stood up and walked back inside. "You better hurry. Everyone else is   
almost ready. Oh, I think we used all the hot water in the shower. Sorry!"   
She dashed back inside while Vanax jumped out of his chair.  
  
"I have to take a cold shower?!"  
  
  
  
They had rented a mini-van so everyone could stay together. Topaz   
was lounging in the front with one leg over the armrest of the seat.   
Jonquil had agreed to drive for the two hours it would take to get to   
Indianapolis. Jade and Lapis played cards on the middle of the three-seater.   
Jendra had dozed off in the back seat with her head against Noki's shoulder.   
On the other side of Jendra Vanax's head kept drifting to his chest, then   
snapping up again.   
  
"Go to sleep, Vanax. It'll be another hour and a half before we   
get there and you need it." Topaz said gently. She had been watching Vanax   
torture himself since they got in the van. He nodded and ten minutes later   
was sound asleep, head against the window and arms crossed.  
  
Topaz turned to look out the window. Jonquil reached over and   
squeezed her hand, which was resting on her knee.  
  
Topaz turned and smiled at him silently. He swallowed. Her smile   
was different. It used to be so happy. She was always happy. But all week,   
she had been different. Sad, quiet. Not like herself at all. He hated it.  
  
"We'll save Thora." He said suddenly.  
  
"I know." She said quietly. She reached down to put in a tape and   
fiddled with the sound. Classical jazz started playing softly through the   
mesh speakers hidden in the frame of the van. Topaz turned to the window   
again.   
  
"Look, a hitchhiker. Hey, he looks really familiar..." Topaz peered   
at the guy standing on the edge of the road. He was tall and kind of lanky.   
He looked to be her age. His thumb was stuck out at arm's length as he   
walked backwards toward Indianapolis. "Hey, Jonquil. Pull over."  
  
Jonquil gave her a quizzical look but pulled over anyway. As they   
stopped the guy approached her window. She rolled it down and kept staring   
at him. She was sure she knew him.  
  
"Hello. My name's David. I'm headed to Indianapolis." Topaz gasped   
and flung the door open. She jumped out and hugged David hard.  
  
"David! Oh my gosh! Is it really you?!" She pulled back to stare   
him in the face. That was where she knew him from. They had been best   
friends from kindergarten to third grade when he moved away.  
  
"Umm... excuse me?" He asked bewildered.  
  
"It's Kordia! From Clear Creek? Remember?" His jaw dropped.  
  
"Kory? Oh my gosh. Hi!"   
  
"So you're headed to Indy? So are we! Hope in." She threw the door   
open. David climbed in and sat down next to Lapis. She looked up and peered   
at him too.   
  
"I'm sorry, but you look awfully familiar." Topaz jumped back into   
the passenger seat and turned around.  
  
"That's cause he is, Kelli. It's David from Clear Creek."  
  
Lapis' jaw dropped this time. "David?" She gasped.  
  
"Hi, Kelli. Good to see you," he said with a grin. She smiled back   
and proceeded to introduce everyone.   
  
  
  
Soon, they were back on the road and Topaz, Lapis and David were   
reminiscing.  
  
"Remember that time when you dropped the paint all over Mrs. Peitsch's   
shirt?! She was so mad. It was hilarious." Lapis gasped with laughter as   
she. David crossed his arms.  
  
"I didn't drop the paint, I slipped on some Kory spilled on the   
floor," he said with dignity.  
  
Topaz blushed and quickly changed the topic.  
  
"So why are you going to Indy, David?"   
  
"I'm not to sure. Get a job, an apartment. That kind of thing.   
I've been wandering for a while now and I'm ready to conform." Topaz laughed.  
  
"Really? How come you didn't just come back to Bloomington?"  
  
"The ghosts of my parents are still there," he said softly.  
  
Suddenly Topaz remembered why he had moved. He'd been taken to   
live with his aunt and uncle after his parents died in an unfortunate car   
accident.  
  
"Oh, David. I'm sorry I forgot."  
  
"It's okay." he said with a smile.  
  
"Heads up. We're here." Everyone looked out the front window to   
watch the city grow larger and larger on the skyline.  
  
  
  
They dropped David off at a hotel. "Keep in touch this time." Topaz   
said shaking her finger.  
  
"Sure. Maybe I'll come visit sometime." He said. They hugged and   
Topaz got back in the van. It was time to find Thora.  
  
  
  
Indianapolis was nice enough as cities went. Jendra had certainly   
seen worse in Chicago. Topaz was directing them to an increasingly poorer   
area of town. Apparently, Thora was without funds. They pulled up in front   
of a dilapidated gray building. Some of the windows were broken and the   
door was half of it's hinges. Topaz looked stricken.  
  
"I've never actually been here. We didn't associate much with   
Thora's family after we moved to Bloomington." She stepped out and kicked   
aside a couple beer cans. She walked up to the door with everyone falling   
in behind her. She ran a finger down a dirty name plate and found Thora's   
apartment number.   
  
Topaz carefully pushed the door open. It fell back against the   
wall with a resounding crash. Everyone gathered and peered inside.  
  
"Sure is dirty in there." Lapis said softly.  
  
Topaz nodded before heading in. They approached apartment 4 slowly.   
Topaz knocked softly and after a moment the door opened. A girl stood there.  
  
She was small, petite even. She had long blond hair falling to   
her waist and her large blue eyes peered at the group. Suddenly they sprang   
open in surprise and she threw herself on Topaz.  
  
"Topaz!! I haven't seen you in forever!" She cried. She grabbed   
Topaz's arm and pulled on her. "Come inside. The hallway isn't safe."  
  
Everyone filed in and looked around Thora's apartment. The inside   
was a shocking difference from the outside. The room was clean and brightly   
colored. Three doors lead to what was most likely a bedroom, kitchen and   
bathroom. Thora ushered everyone to the two couches and offered to find   
chairs for Vanax and Jade, who were left standing. Vanax waved aside her   
offer gently and sat on the floor. Jade smiled and did the same. Thora   
stood there for a moment, then, with a shrug, plopped down next to them.  
  
  
  
Three hours later Thora was sitting in a shocked silence. They   
had taken turns explaining what had happened in the past three weeks,   
starting with the note in Topaz's locker.  
  
"So... you think Jaecar is after me now?" She said in a small   
voice after a while.  
  
"Yeah. So we came to protect you. She won't hurt you with the   
seven of us here." Topaz said.  
  
"I can take care of myself, Topaz. You of all people should know   
that." Thora said absently. "But why kill me?"  
  
"We don't know. Apparently Jaecar just wants everyone in our   
families dead. We don't even know why. She won't leave any clues as to   
her motive." Lapis said.  
  
"This is weird." Thora said. She moved to one of the doors and   
entered what appeared to be a kitchen. She came back out and grabbed some   
keys. "I'll be right back. I just need to go to the store."   
  
Jade stood up quickly. "Not alone. Jaecar could be anywhere. I'll   
go with you."   
  
Thora nodded and they left together.  
  
"I'm not sure she believes us." Vanax said after they left. "She   
doesn't seem very concerned."  
  
"She's just like that." Topaz said. "She's not really one for the   
dramatic unless it's sure to shock someone."  
  
  
  
Topaz was pacing the floor. Jonquil suddenly reached up and pulled   
her down onto the couch beside him.  
  
"Calm down." He said.  
  
"They've been gone an hour! How far away can the store be?" Topaz   
all but shrieked. Lapis entered the room with two cups of coffee. She gave   
one to Topaz and the other to Jonquil.   
  
"They'll be back soon." Jonquil said as he nodded to Lapis in   
thanks and blew on his coffee. Jendra came back from the bathroom and   
collapsed on the floor.   
  
"Where are they?" She asked.  
  
"See! I'm not the only one worried." Topaz said with a sad triumph.   
She sipped her coffee slowly as she tried valiantly to stay calm.  
  
Suddenly the door slammed. Everyone looked up to see a ragged   
Thora leaning against the door clutching her hands to her breast. She was   
gasping for breath. Topaz leaped off the couch and ran to her.   
  
"What's wrong? What happened?" Then something hit her hard. "Where's   
Jade?!" She cried.  
  
Thora slowly opened her hands. In her palms lay a beautiful necklace.   
Hanging on it was a small black dahlia. It was Jade's necklace. "She got   
Jade."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Well, I don't know if you guys like these ANs I don't even know  
if anyone is reading this story but they are fun, so here are some more.  
  
I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!!! I HATE LEAH JOHNSON!!!  
  
My cousin is a lot like Noki. She can sleep anywhere, anytime. It  
was so annoying around Christmas time...  
  
Whenever I'm in the front seat of a mini-van, I have to put my   
leg over the arm rest... I don't know why.  
  
I know David, but he didn't move away in third grade. We are still  
friends, actually. ^-^  
  
I had a teacher named Mrs. Peistch. David wasn't in that class and  
I never dropped paint on her.  
  
David's parents are still alive, actually.  
  
Is "poorer" a word?? Or did I make it up?  
  
Well, that's all for now. Not many ANs this time. ^-^   
  
Comments!!! Please R/R.  
  
JA!  
Ziska Ames 


	4. Topaz's Story

---------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Jade woke up slowly. The room she was in was pitch black and   
she had to blink a couple times to make sure her eyes were truly open.   
She wiggled her fingers and toes remembering what her karate teacher   
had told her once.  
  
"Never try to get up right away after a fall or faint. Always   
make sure your bones are in the right places."  
  
"Where am I?" Jade asked the question to the dark void in   
front of her. She had discovered that she was bound with her hands   
behind her by hemp. Her feet were also immobile. She was leaning   
against a stone wall. The room was a comfortable temperature and the   
floor was dry.  
  
"At least I'm not in a cellar. No rats."  
  
"Are you sure?" A voice asked. The lights flipped on to reveal   
Leah standing at the top of a flight of stairs. Jade was in a cellar.   
The room wasn't huge, but it wasn't tiny either.  
  
"You! You're in on this?!" Jade screamed. She tried to lunge   
at Leah but only succeeded in throwing her shoulders about painfully.  
  
"Yes. I have been since the beginning. Jaecar's gonna get all   
your little friends, then... she's going to kill you all." Leah   
sneered and leaned down in Jade's face. Jade was livid with rage.  
  
"Why didn't she kill me already?" Jade growled bearing her   
teeth like an animal.  
  
"Who knows?" Leah shrugged. "I think you deserve to die.   
You're an ugly slut with nasty hair and bad manners." Jade saw red.   
"And your friends! Don't get me started. That Kory... she thinks she's   
so wonderful. She looked pretty pathetic crying over her brother. And   
Kelli. Ha! What a ditz. She's so stupid. But what about Rob and Shane?   
The wonder brothers. Jerks, both of them. And..." Leah ranted on. Jade   
wasn't listening. She was so mad. She stretched her bonds, but knew   
they wouldn't break. Leah was in her face again. Insulting her friends.  
  
"You're friend Jay's a slut, too. Is that where yo-" Leah was   
cut off suddenly when Jade spit directly in her eye.  
  
"AAAHHHH!!! YOU LITTLE MONSTER!" She screamed as she hurled   
herself away from Jade.   
  
"Don't ever insult my friends again." Jade said coldly. She   
glared at Leah from her position on the floor.  
  
"You're gonna pay, slut. When Jaecar gets back, you're gonna   
pay." She left quickly.  
  
Just before the door shut Leah turned around to throw one last   
insult, but Jade beat her too it. "I was wrong. There is a rat in this   
house." she said with a malicious grin at Leah. She screamed in   
disgust and slammed the door.   
  
The smile dropped from Jade's face as soon as Leah was gone.  
  
Jade leaned back and relaxed against the wall. What happened   
on the way to the store? She thought hard, causing a headache in the   
process. Suddenly the memory came flooding back. She sat up straight.  
  
"Oh no! I have to tell the others!"  
  
  
  
"I don't know just what happened..." Thora was sitting on the   
couch surrounded. Topaz was sitting next to her, gripping Thora's   
small hands in her slightly larger ones. "We were walking along with   
the groceries, talking, when suddenly I got hit in the head from   
behind. I fainted, I guess. When I woke up, Jade was gone and I had   
the necklace tucked in my hand. I'm so sorry, Topaz. I know she was   
your friend." Thora turned to look Topaz in the eyes. Her blue ones   
were flooded with tears that threatened to overflow.  
  
Topaz smiled gently but sadly at Thora. "It's okay, Thora. I   
know Jade isn't dead. I'd feel it. I've known her for so long and   
she's given me blood a couple times. We have a bond. She's not dead."   
Topaz finished with vehemence. Her dark brown eyes were clenched shut   
and she was breathing hard.   
  
"It's not your fault, Thora. We'll find Jade." Vanax said.  
  
"Thanks." Thora swallowed and managed a shaky smile.  
  
"I don't understand it. We were sure Jaecar was after Thora.   
So why take Jade? And she must be alive. We don't have a body and   
Jaecar always leaves the body." Jonquil mussed from his corner of the   
couch.  
  
"That's right. The hair was from Thora. I know that. So why   
did she take Jade? Was this just a trap?" Lapis asked. She was huddled   
in an armchair with her knees pulled up to her chest.  
  
"It doesn't have to make sense." Noki growled. He pushed   
himself off the wall and walked around to the window. He stared out as   
he spoke again. "Jaecar is a cold blooded murder. Murderers don't care   
about patterns or 'making sense.' They just care about killing." Noki   
was worried sick about Jade. He still loved her as a sister and he   
definitely didn't want anything happening to her.  
  
"Oh no!" Thora suddenly jumped up off the couch. "I have to   
walk Mrs. Cease's dog! It's part of my rent." Topaz pulled Thora back   
down.   
  
"No. It's not safe."  
  
"But I'll lose my apartment."  
  
"I'll do it." Vanax said suddenly.   
  
"But what if Jaecar gets you too?" Topaz asked worriedly.  
  
"I'll just take the dog around the block. I won't go far.   
Where's the dog?" Vanax reassured Topaz with the last directed to   
Thora.  
  
"The apartment near the front door on the right side and...   
thanks." Thora looked up at Vanax and smiled hesitantly.  
  
"No problem." He said as he walked out.   
  
  
  
Jade woke up from a restful nap when she heard something   
thudding down the stairs. There was a deep moan from in front of her.   
She gasped.  
  
"Vanax?"   
  
"Jade? You *are* alive... well, that's good." He said. Then he   
was silent.  
  
"Vanax? Vanax?!" But he was already out again. Jade sighed.   
  
  
  
Ten minutes later the doorbell rang. Everybody jumped but   
Thora just laughed nervously. "It's only the mail. I forgot about it."  
  
Thora stood up and opened the door. She walked back leafing   
through a small pile of letters. She came to one and pulled it out.   
She gulped and slowly handed it to Topaz.  
  
Her name was written on the front in what she strongly   
suspected was blood. She could fell a hard lump in the envelope.   
Slowly she slit the top with a fingernail and turned the envelope   
upside down. A ring fell into her outstretched palm. It was a black   
foxglove ring. She sucked in her breath and slowly handed the ring to   
Jonquil.  
  
He took it slowly and examined it carefully.  
  
It's not his. Please. It's not his, Topaz thought desperately.  
  
Jonquil sighed. "It's Vanax's." He clutched the ring and   
slowly stood up. He carefully placed it on the mantle above the   
fireplace next to Jade's dahlia necklace.  
  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Author's Notes!! YEAH!!!  
  
That thing from the karate teacher? I stole that from the book  
"Steal the Dragon." Awesome book. Read it.  
  
As you may know by now, almost all my characters are based on   
real people. Leah does hate me, just like I hate her, but it was so   
hard to come up with those insults!! And none of them are true. ^-^  
  
Mrs. Cease is a spanish teacher at my school. As far as I know.  
she doesn't have a dog.  
  
Well, this was a horridly short chapter. I never realized that   
before... sorry.  
  
Ja,  
Ziska Ames 


	5. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Let's go out." Jonquil and Topaz were sitting on the couch   
when Jonquil proposed an outing. "We'll go to dinner or something. You   
need to relax." He turned a concerned face on Topaz.  
  
She sighed. He was right. It had been almost a day since Vanax   
disappeared and everyone else was still around looking. They had   
called South High School and told them some stupid story about a   
friend dying and the funeral being all that week or something. Topaz   
didn't even remember. But now they had a week, only one small week, to   
find Jade and Vanax before people started to get suspicious. And they   
were doing terrible so far.  
  
They had gone to all the parks and abandoned buildings. They   
had even asked random people off the street. But they hadn't called   
the police. They couldn't trust the police.  
  
Topaz mussed over Jonquil's offer. A dinner out would be nice   
to get rid of some stress.  
  
"Okay," Topaz said with a decisive nod. She leaned against   
Jonquil and sighed. Suddenly, Jonquil wasn't there any more. She   
almost panicked before realizing he was standing in front of her   
holding his hand out to help her up. She laughed and accepted the help.   
When was the last time I laughed? she wondered suddenly.  
  
"I'll leave a note," she said quickly finding paper after   
releasing Jonquil's hand. She scribbled a quick note saying they had   
gone out for dinner and would be back soon.   
  
She didn't want the others to worry when they got back. She   
and Jonquil had covered their area faster than expected. After checking   
everywhere twice, then a third time, they had given up and come back   
to Thora's apartment. They had assumed everyone else would be done too,   
but apparently their areas were more extensive.  
  
Walking out Topaz used the key Thora had given her to lock the   
old wooden door. She twisted the rusting old handle, checking to make   
sure it was locked. Nodding in satisfaction she put the key in her   
pocket again. She smiled at Jonquil and he took her hand to lead her   
out to the street before she changed her mind.  
  
  
  
They walked around slowly looking for a good place to eat.   
Though neither of them realized it, they were both searching passing   
faces for their friends as well. They approached a restaurant called   
Joe's Place.   
  
"Hmm... original," Jonquil quipped.  
  
"I like it. You don't actually see many 'Joe's Places' around.   
Though you hear about them all the time." Topaz pushed the door open   
and walked in. Waiting for a waitress she perused the menu. She was   
surprised to find out this was an Italian restaurant.   
  
"Hello. Table for two?"   
  
Topaz let Jonquil work out the arrangements as she looked   
around. The restaurant was separated into two parts. The entrance was   
divided from the dining area by large, clear windows. The dining room   
was beautiful. Dark wood tables and booths with little candles on each   
one. Topaz smiled as the waiter led her and Jonquil to a small table   
in the corner.  
  
"Drinks?"  
  
"Water, please," Topaz said as she accepted the menu.  
  
"Nothing," Jonquil replied as he opened his own menu.  
  
"Its amazing how good normal food sounds after not eating it   
for months," Topaz commented as she examined the selection. "I'm glad   
I can still digest this stuff." She licked her lips thinking of the   
lasagna that she was going to order.  
  
"Yeah. I kind of miss it actually. We should do this more   
often." Jonquil smiled at Topaz across the table. "Hey, if the waiter   
comes order me some spaghetti with meatballs. I'm gonna run to the   
bathroom."  
  
Topaz murmured an agreement and watched as he walked off till   
he rounded a corner. She smiled to herself and stretched.  
  
This was just what she needed. Some relaxing time with her   
soul-mate. She missed the days from a couple weeks ago. When everyone   
would meet at her apartment to play euchre, instead of figuring out   
who was going to die next.  
  
The waiter came and went bringing their drinks and taking their   
orders. After ten minutes Topaz was a little worried. How long does   
it take for a guy to use the restroom?  
  
After half an hour she stood up. "That's it. I know it doesn't   
take this long. I'm going to go find him," she stated to no one in   
particular.  
  
She walked to the front of the building to ask the waitress   
where the bathrooms were. It was a small one-person bathroom hidden in   
the corner opposite of where she and Jonquil had been sitting. She   
knocked softly on the door expecting Jonquil's response. She didn't   
hear anything.  
  
She knocked again, hard and a little frantically. Finally she   
tried the shiny doorknob. The bathroom was empty. There was no water   
left in the sink, no paper towels in the trash can. The light wasn't   
even on to illuminate the perfect white walls. There was no sign that   
any one had been in the bathroom in the past half-hour. She practically   
ran up to the waiter.  
  
"Excuse me. Have you seen the guy I came in with?" She asked   
as she clutched his arm.  
  
"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't see you enter with any one. You   
came alone," the guy sounded and looked incredibly confused. He tried   
to detach Topaz from his arm and failed miserably.  
  
"No, I didn't. I'll prove it," she dragged the hapless waiter   
to her table to point out the two menus and place settings. She stopped   
and dropped the guy's arm in favor of putting her hands to her mouth   
to hold in a sob when she got there.  
  
Sitting on her place mat was a ring. A black rose ring.  
  
"Excuse me, miss. Would you like me to call a doctor? An   
ambulance maybe?" The waiter placed a kind hand on her shoulder.  
  
"No. I'm fine," she managed to say without breaking down. She   
grabbed the ring and quickly left the restaurant.  
  
  
  
Jade and Vanax turned their heads away to shield their eyes   
when the door at the top of the stairs suddenly opened.  
  
"Put it down there," Jade heard Leah command someone. She   
squinted and looked up. The overhead floodlights were turned off and   
the only illumination was from the doorway. Jade could make out two   
very large silhouettes carrying a trashing *something* between them.   
She assumed it was another of her friends and sighed. She shifted off   
her leg, which had fallen asleep, and waited till the door was closed   
before saying anything.  
  
"Hello."   
  
"Jade?" The person's voice sounded shocked and dazed.   
  
"Hey, Jonquil. They got you, too, huh?" Vanax asked slowly.   
They had been locked down in the cellar for a little over a day with   
no food.   
  
"Yeah. I'm glad you guys are okay," Jonquil said slowly. "Topaz   
has probably noticed I haven't come back from the bathroom by now.   
Hey... my ring's gone too."  
  
"Huh? You're ring? What do you mean?" Jade asked.  
  
"They left our symbols to show who was taken. We've got your   
necklace and Vanax's ring up on the mantel head in Thora's apartment.   
Man, those guys were big!" Jonquil exclaimed suddenly changing the   
subject. "They jumped me out of nowhere. Is that how you guys were   
taken too?"  
  
"It was for me. Right into the shadows of the night," Vanax   
said wirly. Jonquil could imagine his humorless grin.  
  
"You won't believe how they got me," Jade said with a sigh.   
  
  
  
Topaz opened the door and looked up to see that everyone had   
arrived back by now. She walked in and sat down in the armchair. Lapis   
put her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"She got Jonquil, didn't she?" she asked softly. Topaz raised   
the ring in answer. Slowly Lapis took it from her clutching fingers   
and turned to the mantel. She gently sat it down next to Vanax's   
foxglove ring.  
  
"He just went to the bathroom. We were in a restaurant. How   
did she get him in a restaurant without any one noticing?! And the   
waiter didn't remember him at all. Jaecar must be a vampire. Or have   
vampires to do her dirty work." Topaz clenched her hands in anger. That   
murderer had her soul-mate. She wasn't going to let her keep him. She   
stood up filled with new purpose. "Come on. Our friends are gone and   
we have to find them."  
  
  
  
"Feeding time at the zoo!" Leah yelled from the top of the   
stairs. There was a loud splatting sound and the door shut again.   
Jonquil wiggled over to the food and gripping it in his teeth dragged   
it back to Vanax and Jade who were huddled against the wall. It had   
been two days since Jonquil had been brought in. You couldn't tell the   
time in the cellar, but Leah seemed to take particular delight in   
telling them just how long they had been missing. How long their   
friends had been searching. And how they hadn't been found yet.  
  
"It's lamb meat," Jonquil said as he deposited the chunk of   
half decayed meat in front of his cellmates. "I know you won't like   
it, Jade, but you have to eat some."  
  
Jade nodded weakly. She had gone the longest without food, four   
days almost, and she had to have nourishment. She wasn't super strong   
like the others. She leaned over and grimacing, ripped off a chunk of   
meat with her teeth. She chewed slowly and swallowed, gagging.  
  
"It's rotten," she stated flatly.   
  
"But it's food. It's meat. And it's still got blood. I'll take   
the blood and you guys can share the actual meat." Jonquil took charge   
quickly. Jonquil quickly began to suck the blood from the meat. He   
made sure to leave enough so it was still moist enough for Jade and   
Vanax. He knew Vanax needed some blood too.  
  
When Jonquil was done he sat back as Jade and Vanax took turns   
taking bites. Soon the small hunk was gone and they all felt slightly   
better.   
  
"Wow. That's amazing. I feel better already," Vanax said   
flexing his arms gently. "But they measured the food carefully. I'm   
still not strong enough to break the hemp."  
  
"Me neither. Of course, mine is wood," Jonquil said ruefully.   
While Vanax and Jade's hands were bound with rough hemp, his was in a   
small set of wooden stocks. He twisted his wrists slowly, but stopped   
when he felt potential splinters rubbing his skin.  
  
  
  
The others had to drag Topaz back to the apartment and give her   
sleeping pills before she calmed down enough to even sit still. They   
had been scouring the city for Jonquil, Jade and Vanax and hadn't   
gotten anywhere. It was Tuesday now. Two days since Jonquil disappeared.   
Three since Vanax was taken. And three and a half days without Jade in   
their mists. The group felt torn apart.   
  
After three or four pills, Topaz dozed on the couch. Lapis sat   
with Topaz's head in her lap, gently combing her hair with her fingers.   
Jendra leaned against Noki and cried silently. Thora was asleep in her   
own bed.   
  
"I'm afraid we won't find them," Lapis said softly so Topaz   
wouldn't wake up.  
  
"I know. Or you think, what if we find them and they're   
already..." Jendra let her sentence hang. It was a horrible thought.   
She hadn't meant to say it, but she knew everyone was thinking it.  
  
"They're alive. Or at least, Jade and Jonquil are. Topaz would   
feel it if they died. And if Jade and Jonquil are alright we have to   
assume Vanax is too," Noki said. His reasoning was plain and Jendra   
suddenly felt better for it.  
  
"You're right, of course. And if they aren't dead, we can still   
find them. Or, we'll be taken to them. That's most likely I would think.   
And once we are all together again, we can get away," Jendra spoke with   
true optimism. Lapis suddenly slapped her forehead.  
  
"Of course! We're so stupid. We've been looking for our friends   
when we should be looking for Jaecar. Or just waiting until Jaecar comes   
to us. She obviously wants us all. We don't need to search. Just wait."   
  
"Sometimes waiting is worse," Noki said after a moment.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
There is a place called "Joe's Place" where I live. Or it might  
be "Joe's Diner." I can't remember really. They serve steak and pasta.  
Good food.  
  
I'm not sure if vampires, lamia or made, can digest human food.  
I'm guessing they can, but it doesn't do squat for them.  
  
Me and my friends used to play eucher all the time, but we don't  
much any more... I don't know why not...  
  
Oh god. Writing that meat part in the cellar was gross. I make  
up for it in later chapters! I do!  
  
I stole the idea of small wooden stocks from an actual Night   
World book by L.J.Smith.   
  
My friend read this and asked if it wasn't dangerous for Topaz  
to have four sleeping pills. My guess is that if she can't get dieseases,  
sleeping pills won't kill her.  
  
Well, that was better than the last chapter. I just write short  
chapters! I'm sorry!  
  
Ja,  
Ziska Ames 


	6. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Topaz quietly unzipped her sleeping bag and pushed it halfway   
open. She slipped out and onto the cold floor with a slight shiver.   
She stood up from her position between the window and reclining chair   
cautiously. Slowly, she creeped around in front of the chair and shot   
a cautionary look at Lapis, who was actually curled up in the faded   
blue chair. She carefully stepped over Jendra, who had also slept on   
the floor in an old military bag. Topaz walked as softly as she could   
to the door. She picked her shoes up from the corner in one hand and   
reached for the cold doorknob with the other.  
  
They hadn't been out looking for days. Well, not really   
looking. They walked around, calling their friend's names. Checking in   
small crevices and old abandoned buildings. But only she had seemed to   
really be searching. To really be feeling the smallest places a body   
could be crammed into. The others seemed convinced that Jaecar would   
come to them. But Topaz couldn't stop looking for Jonquil. She had to   
find him. She had to!   
  
She carefully gripped the doorknob and turned it softly. She   
opened the door an inch. She froze immediately to listen behind her   
for sounds from the other three occupants of the small room. Noki   
shifted a little on the couch, tossing his cover off and onto the   
floor, but everything else was a blissful, and to Topaz grateful,   
silence.   
  
Topaz eased the door open another two inches and paused again.   
She couldn't get caught. If they woke up and found her she'd be forced   
to stay there in the small confining apartment, helpless while Jaecar   
was doing who-knows-what to her hapless soul-mate.   
  
She slowly, agonizingly slowly, inched the door open to a full   
two feet, pausing between inches to check on her friend's slumber. She   
smiled gently as she eased through the tiny opening. She knew that if   
she opened the door any further it would squeak, and the others would   
definitely wake up.   
  
She slowly shut the door again, pulling gently with the knob   
turned to avoid a click as the door latched itself in place. She   
sighed and picked up her shoes which she had been forced to place on   
the floor so she could concentrate on keeping her stealthy escape   
'stealthy.' She quietly, but briskly, walked down the hallway to the   
front door. She waited till she was outside on the stoop before   
pulling her shoes on. She tied the multi-colored laces and   
straightened up to peer through the darkness.   
  
She walked silently through the night looking for clues. She   
didn't know what clues. Really she had no idea what to look for. Blood   
on the ground, she supposed. That kind of thing. She hadn't really   
thought about it.   
  
Which was stupid, she now realized with a vengeance. They   
probably couldn't find anything cause they had no idea what to look   
for. We've been running around like chickens with their heads cut off.   
I wonder if Jaecar has been watching and laughing herself sick at our   
pathetic efforts. Wouldn't that be poetic justice? she thought wirly   
as she walked. She needed sleep and she knew it, but she couldn't   
sleep. Not while Jonquil was still gone, missing from her life.   
  
She approached an old warehouse and paused to lean against the   
building for a small rest. The wind blew a lock of loose hair against   
her cheek. She brushed it away with a quick, irritated hand.  
  
"Topaz..." she lifted her head quickly. She felt a tiny breeze   
brushing her cheek. It was probably just the wind... she thought   
sadly. She had hoped...  
  
"Topaz."   
  
It was louder and clearer this time. Topaz pushed herself away   
from the wall and approached an opening in the wall. She assumed there   
had been a door there once guessing from the broken, rusty hinges in   
the frame. She placed one hand against the old wood, feeling it   
crumble slightly at her touch. She peered into the dark innards of the   
old building. From what she could see, the place looked like it had   
been gutted.  
  
There were plugs in the walls and frames from some machinery.   
But no people. Nothing to call her name. Her head dropped to her chest.   
Maybe she should just go back to the apartment.  
  
"Topaz."  
  
Her head jumped up and she took a small step inside the   
warehouse. She knew that wasn't the wind. It had sounded like it was   
right in front of her. She looked around noticing the exposed pipes   
overhead as she took another small step inside. She was completely   
inside the building now. She heard something swishing through the air   
behind her and turned quick enough to watch as the ash wood club hit   
her in the head and her world went black.  
  
  
  
Leah had started feeding the small group of friends at two-day   
intervals. They had eaten two more helpings of fetid meat by the time   
they saw the two thugs again.  
  
This time one stood at the top of the stairs with his finger   
on the light switch. He flipped it on quickly and held it there while   
the other thug hurried down the stairs, slid his load off his shoulder,   
and almost ran back upstairs. The lights were off as soon as he   
reached the landing, and soon the door was shut, too.  
  
They had been blinded by the light and unable to see who had   
joined the happy little party. Unable to see, they were forced to wait   
till the person awakened.  
  
Later, much later it seemed, the huddle moaned softly.   
Jonquil's head shot up off his chest and he strained his eyes to see   
into the darkness.  
  
"Topaz," he said with certainty. She suddenly suspected she   
was still in the warehouse. She slowly opened her eyes and moaned   
again. The voice had sounded differently though.  
  
"Topaz." Jonquil was worried when she didn't answer him   
immediately.  
  
Topaz shook her head a bit, but stopped when a pounding   
headache made itself known. The voice was definitely different from   
the first time. In fact, it sounded a lot like Jonquil.  
  
"Jonquil?" She asked afraid of the answer. What if it wasn't   
him? The darkness seemed to mock her malignantly in the few seconds it   
took him to answer.  
  
"Hello, Topaz." He spoke softly.  
  
Topaz smiled. She'd found him. Not quite how she'd intended   
too, but she'd found him. "Jade? Vanax?" she supposed they must be   
here now.  
  
There were quite affirmations and Topaz slowly lowered her   
head to the carpeted floor. "I found you." she said in a child-like   
voice.  
  
"So you did." Jonquil said silently. He had been following the   
sound of her voice and the bond between them. He couldn't believe he   
hadn't felt it as soon as she arrived in the house, or wherever they   
were. He inched up next to her now and cursed the wooden cuffs that   
prevented him from holding her in his arms.  
  
"I'm glad." she said softly as she sat up and leaning over   
placed her head on his shoulder. She knew exactly where he was. She   
could feel it through their connection. Their wonderful, blessed   
connection. "I missed you all. Everyone did."  
  
"We know." Jade's voice said softly in the darkness.  
  
"They probably have my necklace by now." Topaz said quietly   
before drifting into a restless sleep.  
  
  
  
The knocking awoke Lapis from her rest. She stretched slowly   
and suddenly realized what that sound was. It had penetrated her dream   
and she had awakened confused.   
  
She thought for a minute it would be the boy. The one in her   
dream. She dreamt of him a lot. He was young, maybe ten, with   
incredibly curly blonde hair and the deepest blue eyes. He would bow   
to her and say, "Welcome, Princess." She would usually wake up at that   
time. She didn't know what the dream meant, even if it meant anything,   
and she usually forgot it soon after.  
  
She stood up and walked to the door. She pulled it open and   
looked out, trying to cover a large yawn. She opened the door almost   
expecting to see the boy standing in front of her.  
  
There was no one in the hallway. She looked down at a soft   
slapping noise and looked confused at the necklace that was hanging on   
the doorknob. She picked it off and closed the door turning around as   
she did so. Her eyes roamed the room coming to rest on Topaz's flat   
sleeping bag.  
  
She looked quickly from the sleeping bag to the necklace in   
her hand, noticing for the first time that the pendant was a black   
iris. Her terrified sob woke Noki and Jendra.  
  
  
  
Thora, Jendra, Noki and Lapis sat staring at the small   
collection of jewelry on the dark, redwood coffee table.  
  
"And then there were three." Noki said ironically. Even he   
didn't find it funny. This was starting to get really depressing.   
  
Jendra cupped the foxglove ring in her hand for a moment, then   
gently placed it next to the rose ring. "I can't believe she went out   
without us. What was she thinking?" she cried angrily.  
  
Noki placed a hand on her shoulder and she immediately turned   
into his embrace sobbing. He stroked her back softly. "You know I   
would've done the same if you had been out there."   
  
"I know. And I would've done the same for you. But still. The   
poor girl."  
  
"We'll find her and the others. All we have to do is wait."   
Lapis spoke as if it was a mantra. She had been repeating those words   
to herself almost constantly since she found Topaz's necklace an hour   
ago.  
  
"I don't want to wait anymore." Thora said suddenly. She stood   
up and grabbed the jewelry off the table. She dumped it all onto the   
mantle again and quickly headed to the door. "I'm going after her."   
she said slamming the door behind her.  
  
"I'll go after her." Jendra said quickly getting up and   
following Thora out into the bright sunlight of a cloudless morning   
sky. She spotted Thora disappearing around the corner and quickly ran   
after her. She rounded the corner to find an empty street. "Darn, that   
girl's fast." She thought setting off down the street in the direction   
she hoped Thora had taken.  
  
  
  
Thora walked in an hour later holding her hands clenched at   
her sides. She stepped up in front of Noki and let her hands open,   
allowing the rose necklace to fall into his lap. "I'm sorry." She said   
in a choked voice before running into the bedroom and slamming the   
door.  
  
Noki swallowed hard as he held up the necklace. He stood   
carefully and, avoiding Lapis' frightened stare, gently placed the   
necklace next to the other pieces of jewelry.   
  
"I'm going to find Jaecar and I'm going to kill her." he said   
in a soft, certain voice. He turned to face Lapis. His expression was   
grim and remote, as if he couldn't see her. "I'll be back later. Take   
care of Thora." he left the apartment with one thought in mind.   
Finding his soul-mate.  
  
Lapis stared at the shut door for a moment before standing and   
walking to Thora's bedroom door. She knocked softly and the door flew   
open to show a smiling Thora.  
  
  
  
Noki stopped in mid-stride, about halfway down the hallway. He   
wanted her necklace with him. He couldn't have her, but he could have   
something that was hers. That was close to her, a part of her. He   
turned on his heel to go back for the piece of artwork but stopped   
abruptly when the screaming started. His mind raced.   
  
Lapis and Thora. Jaecar's in there with Lapis and Thora. He   
ran to the door and hurled it open. The blood curdling shrieks had   
stopped and the sight that greeted his eyes was definitely not what he   
wanted to see.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Is that an evil place to stop? Oh good. I was hoping so.  
  
You know, I can't think of a single author's note.  
  
Damn.  
  
Opiumchicken@yahoo.com 


	7. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Noki stood frozen in the doorway. His hand gripped the   
doorknob hard as he watched Thora raise her head to meet his eyes. She   
stood up to tower over Lapis' prone form. She lifted the baseball bat   
and bored her blue eyes into his green ones.   
  
"I forgot my club at the warehouse, so I had to use this." she   
said it as if she were explaining an obvious thing to a child of four.   
  
"What happened to Lapis?" Noki was shocked. Was Thora...? He   
couldn't comprehend the scene before him. An unconscious Lapis was   
sprawled below a savagely grinning Thora.   
  
Thora hefted the bat and smiled again. "Don't worry. You won't   
be able to think in a moment and then you won't care." She advanced   
slowly holding the bat with both hands now.  
  
Noki finally grasped the fact that the situation was not good.   
He released the doorknob slowly and backed up into the hallway as   
Thora continued relentlessly towards him. Suddenly, four strong hands   
grabbed him, two on each arm. They pulled his arms back forcefully,   
almost ripping them out of their sockets. Noki turned his head sharply   
to see two thugs staring down at him with cold expressions fixed on   
their large, meaty faces.  
  
Thora stepped into the doorframe. She smiled gently at Noki   
for a moment before nodding to herself and hefting the bat into a good   
position.  
  
"Goodnight." she said softly as she swung the baseball bat at   
Noki's head.  
  
  
  
"Good morning, brats!" Leah called out cheerfully as she   
opened the door. "The rest of your friends are finally here to join   
you." Leah stated this fact as if it were the most wonderful thing in   
the world. The thugs lugged Noki between them while Thora carried   
Lapis easily over her shoulder.   
  
"Finally." she said as she dumped Lapis on the floor. "This   
took a lot longer than I thought. I must say, you guys sure gave a   
good chase. But it'll all be over soon." Thora wiped the back of her   
hand across her forehead brushing the bangs gently back into place   
afterwards. She ferociously kicked Lapis in the ribs. "Wake up." she   
growled with her hands planted firmly on her hips like a scolding   
mother.  
  
Lapis moaned and moved slowly, arching her back. Her hands   
were bound behind her back with twine. Her ankles were also tied   
together with the rough material. She slowly opened her soft brown   
eyes and looked up into Thora's petite face. "But, the hair..." she   
managed to gasp in confusion.  
  
Thora tossed her head back and cackled. She actually cackled.   
A high pitched laugh that crawled across the skin of everyone present.   
"That was a trick!" she cried gleefully clapping her hands happily.   
"A trap. I had a nice little witch friend of mine bewitch the hair to   
draw you here. And you all fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker." She   
twirled and laughed as her long blonde hair spun around her. She came   
to a halt almost immediately and kneeled to leer into Lapis' face.  
  
She continued to sneer down at Lapis as she reached a hand   
over her shoulder and beckoned to Leah. Leah slowly inched down the   
stairs and approached Thora like she was a dog with its tail between   
its legs. Her eyes were wide and fearful and she was hunched over   
almost double in a position of servitude.  
  
"Yes, master?" she whispered. She nervously twisted her hands   
in front of her vulnerable stomach.   
  
"Bind them all together. And you," she pointed suddenly to the   
thugs, startling them, "go away. Leave the house and never come back.   
I don't need you any more."   
  
One of the thugs' face contorted into a mask of anger. "That   
wasn't the deal." he growled. "What about our pay? You said we could   
drain them..." he trailed off as Thora slowly focused her intense blue   
gaze on him.  
  
"Go away, before you push me to far." The petite blonde stared   
the ugly giant of a man in the eye till his face crumpled to   
disappointment. Nodding to his partner they quickly headed up the   
wooden staircase to the door. Without a backward glance they were gone.   
By the time they had disappeared, Leah had finished tying the finally   
knot that connected Lapis to Noki.   
  
"Why?" a small choked question escaped from Topaz's throat.   
Thora whirled to face her. She stalked up to the sitting girl.   
  
"You killed my family," she said softly. Blue eyes with a hint   
of insanity in them bored into Topaz's dark brown eyes. Topaz's eyes   
widened in fear and confusion till they showed white all around like a   
frightened horse.   
  
"What?" Topaz asked softly. She didn't understand. Her cousin   
that she had grown up with, that she had played with. She hadn't   
killed her parents. She hadn't killed Ben, Thora's brother. "I didn't   
kill them. I didn't kill anybody."  
  
"Oh, you didn't?" Thora stood up crossing her arms over her   
chest. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and whirled to face Leah.   
"Go away. Wait outside the door. I'll call when I want you." Leah   
nodded and quickly ran up the stairs and shut the door behind her.  
  
Thora turned to face the group again.  
  
"I think that I hit you too hard in the warehouse. It must   
have addled your memory."  
  
"You didn't attack Topaz. You were in the apartment." Lapis   
said softly. Her shoulder length brown hair was messed up from the   
treatment she had recieved that night. Her bottom lip was split and a   
trickle of blood had dried on her chin.   
  
"I snuck out." Thora taunted sneering in Lapis' face. "Not   
that it's any of your business. Now if you don't mind, I'll start   
killing you all."  
  
Topaz's jaw dropped. It suddenly hit her. "You're Jaecar." she   
said if softly, sadly, and with certainty. Thora smiled at her almost   
gently as she clapped slowly with incredible sarcasm.  
  
"Very good. You finally figured it out. Took you long enough.   
I can't believe you didn't recognize my killing of Abrams."  
  
"Recognize?" Topaz was confused. Then a memory hit her.   
Walking into her grandmother's living room when she was ten. Finding   
her grandmother pinned to the wall by a giant stake in the chest and   
two silver knives in her arms. "My grandmother... you copied my   
grandmother's death!" she stared up at Thora with horror on her face.  
  
"Yes! Good girl. And again, it was your fault someone died.   
Why do you cause death, Topaz?" Thora asked in a mock-sad voice. "It's   
not very nice."  
  
"She didn't do any of the killings. You did!" Jonquil cried   
out. He was mad, more than mad, outraged.  
  
"Of course she didn't actually commit the killings. I was   
there. I know I did those. But she caused them all. She even caused   
your father's death." she suddenly whirled to face Lapis. Lapis' brown   
eyes widened to an unbelievable, and impossible, width. They seemed to   
fill her small, pale face.  
  
"How did you know my dad's dead?" she asked softly. Her father   
had died six years ago, during the witch-hunts that killed Topaz's   
grandmother.  
  
"I know he's dead, cause I helped kill him. Topaz and I   
started those little witch-hunts. Of course, she didn't think it would   
hurt her family. She just wanted to have some fun. Isn't that right,   
dear?" Thora turned again to torture Topaz. She leaned down and patted   
Topaz's cheek gently. Topaz wrenched her face away from the gentle   
touch.   
  
She was crying. She dropped her head and sobbed into her knees,   
which she had curled under her. Lapis watched in horror. Topaz wouldn't   
start witch-hunts. She hated killing.  
  
"I don't believe you." she whispered so softly Thora almost   
didn't hear her.  
  
"What did you say?" Thora stood up right and cocked an ear in   
Lapis' direction without actually turning to look at her.  
  
"I don't believe you." Lapis stared Thora in the eyes as she   
pronounced the words slowly and distinctly. "Topaz hates killing. She   
*hates* it! She'd never hurt anyone!"   
  
"Oh really. Topaz, dear, I don't believe you've been totally   
honest with your friends." Thora straightened up and looked down on   
Topaz with disapproval. "Don't you know honesty is the basis of a good   
relationship?"  
  
Topaz's head jerked up. Her face was white, drained of all   
blood as she stared in horror at Thora. "No, oh no. Don't tell them   
that. Please!" she cried. She trashed against her bonds.  
  
"But they deserve to know!" She cried. She twirled on one leg   
throwing her arms to the ceiling. "They are your friends, aren't they?   
I'm sure they'll understand!" she laughed madly as she did an insane   
little dance ending kneeling in front of Topaz.  
  
She stared Topaz in the eyes as she addressed the group at   
large. "Topaz isn't as innocent as you all believe. Neither is her   
family. She's a bad little girl. Aren't you?" Thora shook her finger   
at Topaz as she spoke. Topaz was frozen in horror.  
  
"No, oh no." she continued to whisper, almost to herself but   
still loud enough to be heard.  
  
"Her parents were Night World Lords years ago. They lived for   
the hunt, didn't they?" She stood up suddenly and jumped into the   
middle of the room. She barred her fangs and laughed. "They kept   
humans in pens. Hunted them through the woods using the treetops to   
give chase. That's right, isn't it? But, alas, your parents got   
*tired* of the killings. So they left. They just left! You can't   
leave!" She cried throwing her arms up and tilting her head back as   
she shrieked the last sentence angrily at the ceiling. Topaz was   
sobbing softly into her knees. Everyone was staring at Thora in   
disbelief. Topaz was Night World nobility?  
  
"They left." Thora said softly, almost to herself, as she   
allowed her arms to drop. She seemed to fall in on herself. She   
dropped to her knees and looked up sadly at Topaz. "Her and her   
parents and her brother. They left and went to Bloomington, Indiana to   
live like humans. Like vermin." she spat the word out and made a face   
of disgust. "How could you? How could your parents force you into that   
lifestyle? But you didn't want to live like that, did you, Topaz? You   
hated the restrictions on feeding. You wanted to kill. You wanted the   
power that comes from taking all of a persons blood, taking their   
*soul.* " She smiled down at the sobbing wreak of Topaz. She lightly   
reached out and stroked her green hair softly. "So you rebelled. It's   
okay. It's understandable. You're a lamia. You're different than the   
others. Witches and shifters, they don't understand. Do they? They   
don't feel the blood lust like we do. The need to be stronger, more   
powerful, better."  
  
Thora lifted Topaz's face gentle with her hands so she could   
look her in the eye. "And I joined you. I helped you. I set you free.   
I would come visit you and we would go kill, murder, maim. And you   
*loved* it!" She screamed slapping Topaz hard. "Why did you change?"   
she asked suddenly soft and with a touch of pain. Her eyes were full   
of hurt and loss. "Why didn't you stay with me?"  
  
"You tricked me!" Topaz screamed suddenly. She had hit the   
bursting point. "You said it was all fun. But it killed my grandmother.   
It killed my kin!"  
  
"Of course it did. What did you expect in a witch-hunt? We'd   
tie her up for a while, then let her go and shake hands?" Thora was   
looking upon Topaz with utter disgust. She had forgotten the others:   
the ones who were watching in rapt attention at the drama unfolding   
before them.  
  
"I wasn't thinking." Topaz said softly.  
  
"And that was your problem. You didn't think. But I guess you   
got me back, didn't you? Causing the deaths of my family. That was   
smart, great, perfect revenge."  
  
"I didn't cause their deaths. They died in honor."  
  
"Honor? They were staked in their own home after being   
tortured for hours!! They died because they were protecting your   
worthless family!" Thora screamed in pain and outrage. Thora grabbed   
Topaz by the shoulders and shook her hard. She dug her nails in till   
they drew blood.  
  
"It's not my fault!" Topaz screamed back. Her eyes were   
clenched in horror and outrage. Her wrists were rubbed raw by the   
wooden stocks binding them behind her back.  
  
Thora released Topaz almost throwing her away. "No, I suppose   
it's not. You were too young to know the consequences of leaving the   
enclave. The promise of death was drilled into your parents, but not   
you. So, I guess, it's your parents fault." Thora looked as if she   
were considering this possibility. "Yes, that's it. Your parents knew   
that if they left, the Night World would hunt them and kill them. But   
they hid too well. So the Night World went after my family. We were   
law-abiding Night Worlders. They didn't deserve to die, like your   
family does. My parents were stupid for not telling. If I had been   
there, I'd have told. I'd have gladly sent you to your death." Thora   
spoke with the calm air of the mentally insane.  
  
"So, now that that's cleared up, let's ask what your friends   
think of you know." Thora finally acknowledged the rest of the group.   
"Kelli, Jay, Shane, Rob, Kory, Chris, and James. Or should I say Lapis,   
Jendra, Vanax, Jonquil, Topaz, Jade and Noki?"  
  
Six heads simultaneously looked up at her. Thora pivoted   
slowly looking at each of the seven friends slowly in the order she   
had named them.  
  
Lapis cringed on the far-left end of the semi-circle. Her hair   
was mussed and her eyes rolled wildly like a horse's. She seemed to be   
in shock over the fact that her best friend had caused her dad's death.   
Thora smiled. She'd be easy to kill. To dazed to know the crucial   
difference between life and death.  
  
Jendra's light blonde hair swung in front of her dulled blue   
eyes. Her head was bent to her chest and she wasn't looking at Thora   
or anyone. Her posture was relaxed and for a moment Thora wondered if   
some how she had fallen asleep. But in reality, she was lost in her   
mind. Lost back in a time only a couple months ago when she herself   
had killed without inhibition. Without caring about the victim or his   
family. Thora bared her teeth at the prone form and pivoted slightly   
to look at the next captive.   
  
Vanax was wrenching painfully and silently at his bonds as he   
tried to stand up. He wanted to attack this thing. This horrible   
creature with the twisted mind. The twisted thoughts. He'd never met   
anyone so obviously evil. And he wanted to kill it. To purge the world   
of it. Thora laughed softly and bared her teeth at him. "I'm the hunter.   
You're the prey. Not the other way around." she taunted softly under   
her breath before focusing on Jonquil.  
  
His red hair was spiky with sweat and dirty from days without   
a shower. His blue eyes sparked fiercely as he stared at Topaz with   
pain. He could feel her soul breaking through their bond. Feel her   
hope and carefully built illusions of her past crumbling. Thora   
growled at him, but couldn't seem to hold his attention. He would look   
at her blankly for a moment, before letting his eyes slid back to   
Topaz. She looked at Topaz too.  
  
Topaz rocked softly crying to herself. After finding her   
grandmother dead and realizing that she had also caused Lapis' dad's   
death, she'd forced herself to forget. To forget the killings. The cats   
she and Thora'd tossed off buildings to busy streets. The little kids   
they'd lured into the woods with promises of cookies and other sweets.   
After her grandmother's death, she'd rebuilt a happy childhood for   
herself, keeping her happy memories, and forgetting her deathly ones.   
Forgetting her uncaring ways. But her memories had been ripped open by   
this monster that resembled her cousin. Thora laughed happily at what   
she had succeeded in doing to her blood relative. She twirled a lock   
of her golden hair happily before turning her attention to the witch   
next to Topaz.  
  
Jade was shocked. Purely shocked. Over the days her hair had   
become greasy and streaked more with dirt, than the natural purple   
highlights. She didn't notice that her bangs were plastered to her   
forehead from sweat, or that her cheeks were covered by a small   
latticework of single hairs. She sucked in breath as her mind worked   
frantically to comprehend everything she had heard that night. It   
wasn't possible. Thora smiled again. She was good at this. Finally,   
she looked to the end of the right side of the circle.   
  
Noki just sat there. His hands and feet were bound tightly,   
but he didn't struggle, he didn't fight. Thora was surprised. She had   
ordered extra strength to his bindings, supposing he would try to   
break them. But he didn't. He didn't spit words of disgust at her. He   
just sat and tried to kill her with his gaze.   
  
Thora smiled broadly showing her pointed teeth. She twirled   
happily. "Look at you all. I've reduced seven of the most popular kids   
to seven of the most ragged, insane people in this miserable city."   
she sighed happily. "I love my work. But now, enough stalling." She   
straightened up and turned to face Noki first.  
  
"It's time to die."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
My friend Andrea, whom Thora is based after, can cackel. It has  
to be one of the coolest sounds in the world.  
  
Actually, my grandmother is still alive. Both of them. So is  
Lapis' dad.  
  
Me and my friends have never been overly popular, but it's fun  
to think that way. ^-^  
  
Ja,  
Ziska Ames  



	8. Topaz's Story

----------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The Laughing Planet"  
'Topaz's Story'  
  
Recorded by Ziska Ames  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
Chapter 8  
  
Thora pulled out a silver knife and slowly started sauntering   
towards Noki. "Ready to feel pain, boy?" She asked almost playfully.  
  
She laid the knife gently at the base of Noki's throat. He   
didn't flinch or pull away. Thora sighed and pulled the knife away at   
her own accord. "Well, aren't you even going to beg for mercy?" She   
asked exasperated.  
  
"No, he's not. He doesn't need to." a voice said. Thora   
whirled around to see Lapis standing up, completely unbound. Scorched   
hemp cords lay on the ground behind her. Her mouth was turned down in   
an angry grimace and her eyes sparked madly. "We're not going to die,   
Thora. You are." She said quietly.   
  
Topaz stopped crying and looked up surprised. This wasn't the   
Lapis she knew.   
  
"Give me the knife, Thora." Lapis said holding out her hand,   
which was, of course, a mistake. Thora saw her opportunity, grinned   
and happily stabbed the knife down through Lapis' hand.  
  
She hissed loudly and pulled away, ripping the knife from   
Thora's grasp. As everyone watched, she gripped the wooden handle and   
pulled it slowly out of her skin. She turned suddenly and slammed the   
knife into the stone wall. The silver part broke off raggedly at the   
base of the handle and spun wildly away from the group, out of anyone's   
reach.   
  
Lapis turned around holding her injured hand to her chest as   
she clutched the sheared off handle. It was short, not more than two   
inches, and had been broken like a branch. The break was green and   
shattered, thousands of little points stuck out at Thora menacingly.   
  
Thora gaped and backed up slowly out of the semi-circle. She   
sneered at Lapis. "You can't hurt me with a handle, witch."  
  
"I'll sure try!" Lapis shrieked as she lunged at Thora suddenly   
with the handle held in front of her. She slammed into Thora and knocked   
her backward onto the ground. She rolled on top of her and felt the   
handle being ripped from her grasp. She sat up and immediately crouched   
into a fighting position.   
  
The handle had been stabbed deep into Thora's soft stomach.   
Only a half-inch remained to mock the insane vampire. She tried   
desperately to get a grip on the blood-slicked bit of wood, to pull it   
from her skin.   
  
Her efforts became weaker and she eventually collapsed onto   
the floor. She lay on her back and, gasping, started laughing. It was   
soft at first, but steadily grew louder, and crazier.  
  
Lapis stood up suddenly and swayed as the blood rushed to her   
head. She inched towards Thora slowly and stared down at the girl.   
Thora reached up and weakly beckoned to Lapis. She hesitantly knelt   
down.  
Thora's hand shot out and grabbed Lapis' collar, pulling   
herself half off the floor.  
  
"You think you've won, don't you?" she said clearly and   
distinctly, as if she wasn't teetering on the brink of the abyss. "But   
you haven't, you know. Not really."   
  
"Yes, we have. You're going to die." Lapis said softly.  
  
"I'll die, but she's still alive!!" Thora shrieked as a spasm   
hit her body and she dropped into the darkness. Her hand released its   
grasp and fell weakly on top of the protruding knife handle. Lapis   
stood up shakily and turned back to the group.  
  
They stared at her with a kind of fascinated horror. She had   
always been the gentle one. Never wanting to hurt, to cause harm.   
Jade shook her head slowly. "Mind getting us free?" she asked with a   
quirky grin.  
  
Lapis nodded slowly and quickly used her witch fire to burn   
through Jade's bonds, as she had her own. Jade ripped a piece of her   
shirt off and wrapped it around Lapis' bleeding hand. "That'll hold   
for a while." she said.  
  
Lapis nodded and they split up to free the rest of the group.  
  
  
  
Opening the door of the apartment, Jendra dropped her bag on   
the sofa and collapsed next to it. It had been a month since Lapis had   
killed Thora. Everything had pretty much gone back to normal. They had   
convinced the town all the deaths were caused by a mass murderer who   
was now in jail, they were all doing fine in school, and Topaz was   
learning to cope with her real past.   
  
Jendra shuddered. Sometimes Topaz would wake up screaming   
having dreamed of all the things that she used to do. She would   
usually tell Jendra all of it, then fall back into an exhausted sleep.   
Some of the things she told Jendra made her sick. She had been awful   
as a child.   
  
No wonder she blocked it out. Jendra now thought in   
recollection. She stood up and headed to Topaz's bedroom door. She   
knocked softly, knowing her friend might be asleep. When there was no   
answer, she slowly eased the door open to see if she was there at all.  
  
Jendra was sure she would just be asleep on the bed. She slept   
a lot lately and avoided going out. She had quit her job at The   
Laughing Planet, saying she couldn't concentrate enough to work. There   
was a new manager, Mr. Wardrip. He was nice enough, but he wasn't   
Abrams. Not to mention he was human. He just couldn't understand.   
  
Jendra peered into the dark bedroom. She couldn't tell if   
Topaz was in there or not. She eased the door open and flipped on the   
lights.  
  
There was no one occupying the single size bed. The hand-quilted   
comforter was spread neatly across the top and resting on top of one   
of her pillows was a note.  
  
Jendra strolled over to the bed and sat down picking up the   
note. She was sure it would say that Topaz was just out at the grocery   
or something. What she saw wasn't what she expected.  
  
'Jendra. I'm sorry. I can't stay in this town any more. Not   
now that I know everything I did. All the people I killed. I'm going   
away to a friend's. I can't tell you why, I know you'll follow me and   
try to bring me back. But I can't come back. Tell Jonquil I love him   
and I'm sorry. Tell the rest of the group that I love them too. Maybe   
I'll come back someday, when the ghosts are gone. Topaz.'  
  
After reading the note Jendra reached up a hand to wipe away a   
single tear. She folded the note gently and creased it carefully. She   
placed it softly on the white pillowcase and stood up. She smoothed the   
wrinkles she had caused from the comforter. Then she turned slowly and   
left the room. She had some phone calls to make.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
So... that's the end of this story. I've already written Lapis'  
Story and I'll work on posting it soon. Till then, good bye!  
  
Ja,  
Ziska Ames 


End file.
